Joining Down The Years
The Haunting At Bonadventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright is a marvellous Christian dual timeline novel that consumes from the start.
The action is in present day and in 1928. Crimes committed in the past seem very close to home but who? And how?
Secrets of our ancestors travel down the years. We are not destined to repeat their crimes. We have the power to break free but reputations are hard to shake.
There is the theme of parents. God is our perfect parent who will never let us down. Sometimes we project our experiences of our earthly parents onto Him. This is unfair. We should never compare God to man because He is God and they are not. God will always love us and never let us down.
Prayer is important. When we do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. “He [God] didn’t expect perfection in prayer. He only expected prayer.” God does not want a polished performance. He wants a pure heart.
We may feel like God is absent. She “prayed that God would come out of His hiding place.” God may be silent but He is never hidden.
When life threatens to overwhelm us, we can run to God. He will give us a peace in spite of our circumstances. “Sometimes God brought peace in the most unusual… ways.”
Trust is a major theme. We must decide where to place our trust. Sometimes trust is misplaced.
Life is made up of imperfect people and a perfect God. Sometimes our imperfections are visible and sometimes they are hidden inside. God looks at our hearts more than our outward appearance.
We often judge ourselves too harshly. We need to be kind to ourselves and extend grace to the face in the mirror.
There is the theme of parenting. Parents do what they think is best for their children but they do not always get it right.
I loved The Haunting At Bonadventure Circus. It was a thrilling read with an eclectic mix of characters – including a baby elephant who warmed my heart. It is a marvellous suspense crime that I can highly recommend.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
JULIA WILSON
